Red Bull Borrajo comes to Belleville

Principal Joseph Vespignani stands by as his former player, Jonathan Borrajo of the New York Red Bulls, interacts with students at Belleville School No. 8 on Monday morning. Vespignani coached Borrajo a decade ago, when they were winning numerous titles at Clifton High School.

Students at Belleville School No. 8 got a little taste of the big time on Monday morning, when professional soccer player and New Jersey native Jonathan Borrajo of the New York Red Bulls made an unannounced visit.

Borrajo, who grew up in Clifton and played soccer at Clifton High School for three years for School No. 8 principal Joseph Vespignani, took some time in the school’s cafeteria-gymnasium-auditorium to showcase his skills while also answering several questions, shaking many hands, and even signing some autographs.

"Speaking to 350 kids gets you nervous," he said later on. "They’re so anxious."

He added it was easier playing in front of 60,000 fans in a Major League Soccer contest in Seattle, which is one of the league’s biggest cities.

Borrajo played for Vespignani from 2002 to 2004 and also captained the Mustangs his senior year at Clifton High, winning a total of three county championships and three consecutive league titles while collecting All-State accolades. He went on to play collegiately at George Mason University in Virginia, where he again served as a captain and also helped the Patriots to the NCAA Tournament.

He then played professionally in Maryland and in Norway before coming home earlier this year to play in front of friends and family in Harrison, where Red Bull Arena is located.

"I traveled so far for so many years," said Borrajo. "It’s 3,600 miles to Norway, and it’s nice they don’t have to make such a trip (anymore)."

Besides saving his loved ones on long-distance travel expenses, he also said he enjoyed playing in front of New Jersey and New York soccer fans

His former high school coach is proud, but not totally surprised, by Borrajo’s success.

"It’s incredible," said Vespignani, who has known Borrajo since the latter was 12 years old, of his former player’s accomplishments. "It speaks to his work ethic and his amount of sacrifice."

Borrajo, whose younger brother, Joe, currently plays soccer as a sophomore at nearby Montclair State University, where the Red Bulls practice, was asked by a School No. 8 student to describe his first goal.

"True story," he related. "I was four or five years old, and I scored my first goal against my own goalie."

That revelation brought a chorus of laughs.

"I was so excited," he recalled, smiling. "Nobody told me."

Another student asked him how many hours a day he practiced.

"The real training starts after training," admitted Borrajo. "I’m a right-footed player, so I work on (using) my left foot, and things I’m not good at."

He said his drive and motivation has helped to get him where he is today, as has being able to get along with people and teammates.

"I think I’m pretty good at that, and throwing my neck out there, making tackles and such," said Borrajo of gaining people’s respect by communicating with them, and also taking things on himself.

He also thinks he can always do better, which he tried to impart to the more than 200 School No. 8 students in his speech.

"There’s no secret to success," he added. "Hard work pays off."

"He has the innate ability to lead and to get the job done," said Vespignani, who thanked his students for asking good questions and told them to follow their own dreams.